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No one is hurt as the man thought to have committed a series of holdups takes the cash from three teller drawers.
By CHRIS TISCH, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 29, 2002
CLEARWATER -- A prolific bank robber who is suspected of holding up 18 banks along the Suncoast in the last two years struck again Monday, robbing a SunTrust Bank in Clearwater.
The man calmly walked into the bank, 26627 U.S. 19 N., about 9:30 a.m. and waited in line. When he was summoned by a teller, he laid a silver revolver on the counter and ordered the clerk to give him the cash from her drawer and two others.
He stuffed the money in a bag and left. No one was injured, and no arrests were made.
The robber exhibited traits that have become trademarks of some of his holdups: A Band-Aid on his left cheek, a nonchalant attitude, a heavy gut and a wig.
He also was seen leaving in a gray Mercury Sable, a get-away car that has been seen after some of his previous stickups.
One new twist in the case is that a witness reported that the robber may have been assisted by a driver, said Clearwater police Detective Steve Bohling.
This robber has been eluding law enforcement since his first holdup at a Bank of America on N Dale Mabry on Feb. 15, 2001, authorities say. He has hit banks in Pinellas, Hernando, Hillsborough, Polk and Marion counties since then. He also has tried to rob two other banks but left when tellers made eye contact with him, police said.
His string of stickups was featured in a St. Petersburg Times article that was published Sunday.
"This guy's a worker," Bohling said.
The man may be the most prolific bank robber in the Tampa Bay area since the Crowbar Robber, who ran a streak of at least 25 holdups from Sarasota to Ocala until his capture in January. Raymond S. Norman admitted to robbing as many as 35 banks in three years, netting nearly a half-million dollars.
He earned his nickname by using a crowbar in one of his early robberies.
Though no moniker has been given to this robber, he displays a bit of panache in his holdups, sometimes dressing up in wigs or disguises. He also has stuck a Band-Aid to his left cheek during at least two robberies.
"I'm thinking he must be covering a mole or a scar or something," Bohling said. "He's worn some wild, wild wigs."
Bohling said the moustache on the robber during the holdup Monday appeared to be fake.
"It's too big for his face," the detective said.
Police say the robber is about 5-foot-8 and is heavyset, probably weighing about 200 pounds. He is in his 30s or 40s and always carries a pouch with him for the money. He wears two shirts.
His identity has remained a mystery, even though investigators have culled clear photographs of him from surveillance videos. Those photos have been published in newspapers and broadcast on the television news but have not led to any solid leads.
Another clear photo was taken of the man during the robbery Monday. He never raised his voice at the teller, Bohling said.
"He was so nonchalant that nobody really knew what was going on," Bohling said.
No one has been hurt during his holdups, but he does point his gun at tellers. The Florida Banker's Association is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
-- Chris Tisch can be reached at 445-4156 or tisch@sptimes.com.
Anyone with information about this robber can call Detective Steve Bohling at 562-4398 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.